Hollie is a Utilities CCR Technician and works for Chevron Australia. She enjoys the training opportunities the sector has to offer.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love that there is always something to learn, it’s an extremely dynamic environment, which I find really attractive. There are endless opportunities available when you find what career path you would like to pursue
Describe your career path to your current job?
I originally started as a local trade assistant at another gas plant facility. This inspired my interest to explore career opportunities within Operations. From here I pursued an Operations Traineeship where I was a successful candidate for a Traineeship at an Ammonia Production Facility in the Pilbara. This then led me towards my current employment at Wheatstone where I have been able to assist with the start-up and commissioning of the facility to where the facility is now operating in a steady state. My career path so far has lead me into the position as a Utilities CCR technician that I am really enjoying.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in the sector?
You need to put yourself out there, find any job that is at a mining/gas facility and get your foot in the door, whether that’s cleaning, Driving vehicles, or being a trades assistant. From there you can talk to the people around you to see where your strengths may lie, see if there is any jobs that may be of interest to you. I have found over the years, once you get on-site, job roles are easier to understand, you can talk to the people that do the roles to see what they like about them. Also, the opportunities for traineeships and apprenticeships get rolled out yearly and most of the time if you are on-site you would know about it.
What’s would you like other women to know about working in mining and resources?
Working within the resource sector can be extremely rewarding, I have had so many opportunities since I decided to take the plunge into this world. Not only have I created a career path for myself, that I am passionate about and enjoy, I have also grown from a personnel perspective
What initiatives/policies did your employer put in place to encourage more women to be involved in the sector?
As Chevron Australia is particularly a new business unit, they are still developing strategies to make it easier on women on site, in particular women coming back from maternity leave. There has been a lot of work done in this space over the last 2 years, having the availably of a private room with a fridge freezer to accommodate the needs of women with young children has been a new addition. There is also a Women’s employee network where you can talk with other likeminded women within the industry and participate in events held by the group
